


honestly, i wouldn't ask for anything else

by seungjins (maxelau)



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Crack, Ice Cream Parlors, M/M, Meet-Cute, Summer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-02 12:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20747312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxelau/pseuds/seungjins
Summary: when a Beautiful Stranger ™ enters the ice cream shop and all hell breaks loose— specifically seungmin's declining sanity.orBeautiful Stranger ™ loses his hat and seungmin finds it and posts an instagram story about it.





	honestly, i wouldn't ask for anything else

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a tiktok post i randomly saw online. kudos to that guy! if any of you know or can give me his acc name that would be wonderful.
> 
> enjoy the ride!

saturday was an exceptionally busy day for an ice cream shop, specifically during summers. the shop was always full of cranky screaming kids accompanied by their stressed-out mothers. the kids' sticky fingers point excessively on every possible flavor while their mothers fight tooth and nail for them to buy the cheapest ones. other times, there were teenagers who pry over the counter asking for free tastes, which seungmin has to decline politely (sometimes he might actually go over the counter and threaten them with the scooper, _no we don't give free tastes!_).

seungmin still has five more hours left before the sign on the front door was flipped over to a ‘close’ but for now, he has to go through the treacherous torture called children. he has been holding the same sugar-coated cone for the past five minutes waiting for the kid, who resembled a five-year-old version of felix (his roommate who went back to australia for summer break) pick his diabetic inducing cold cream— never mind that. the kid was slowly getting into his nerves and his mother was not actually helping. she was being an A-class bitch. her sunglasses were perched on her tall nose, while her crocodile leather birkin bag stayed snugged against her boob job. she looked at seungmin from head to toe and clicked her tongue. he knew, she disapproved of him. how was he supposed to impress her? by not wearing the neon pink and sky blue uniform? not that he cared what she thought of him. seungmin's eyes twitched in response as he tried not to curse out loud or just throw the ice cream at her face. eight hours in this hell hole was already enough, seungmin does not need a bitch ruining his day.

“i told you not to choose anything that is too sweet honey,” the mom hissed for the seventh time and seungmin honestly just wanted to dump a whole scoop of _cookies n' cream_ on the cone. what was she thinking that this a sugar-free ice cream shop? jesus, this was a fucking ice cream shop for fuck’s sakes, the only thing they serve was an array of different ice cream flavors that could literally murder your tonsils with how sweet it was.

desperate times called for desperate measures. seungmin takes a peek over at jisung’s side of the counter while the child contemplated for the 75th time. he saw jisung having a damn good time and seungmin almost curses.

jisung was leaning over the counter, cheeks pink, and his stupid teeth shaped in a perfect curve that heavily resembled a genuine smile. seungmin could even hear his sweet-laced laughter and it makes him cringe involuntarily. on the other side of the counter was no other than lee minho— not the well-known actor who dated suzy at one point, but the local kid who lived a few blocks away from the shop and who attended the same university as they do. seungmin knew too well that the two have been getting it on since summer break started and he can’t say he didn’t see it coming. the blooming of their relationship was a predictable one. jisung, the moment freshman year started was head over heels over the junior and even had the guts to join the dance club, despite how fumbly he was with his body coordination. right now, they were practically all over each other and seungmin was somewhat thankful for it. minho's presence means jisung was less of a bitch than how he usually was. seungmin was not going through another shift with jisung if he threw another fit— but that part of his life was for another time to tell.

jisung noticed seungmin’s annoyed gaze and for a split second, their eyes met. seungmin raised an eyebrow at jisung before wearing, once again, his _‘bitch-i’m-getting-payed-smile’_. thankfully, minho decided to find himself a seat and get his ass out of jisung’s peripheral vision. jisung gestured towards the growing line in seungmin’s side to move to his own.

on the other hand, the child was still stuck in his little world. seungmin internally sighed.

“how about _cookies n' cream_?” he suggested. despite the whole staff going against it, chan, their manager kept on pushing everyone to call the stupid flavor _cookies n' cream_. yes, he needed to emphasize the n. seungmin swore he could taste his own blood by how hard he pronounces the letter _n._

the mom lifted her head away from her phone. in a hurry, she gave seungmin a look that definitely translated into a big YES. she replied, “we’re getting that honey. your dad is arriving today—“ 

inside his head, seungmin was dancing happily. _fucking finally. seungmin_ gently gave the kid the cone while his mom handed her card. the cashier rang in response and after a few more seconds they leave.

“well, that was a whole mess,” jisung commented after they served everyone in the store and they were finally given the few minutes of break they needed. the shop was still filled to the brim and the air-conditioning was slowly failing its only purpose: to keep them all cool. jongin, the new kid was taking orders in their stead. seungmin would love to have some ice cream but the encounter with the kid and mother really burned him out. 

“i feel bad for the kid,” seungmin sighed. he removed his brightly colored cap and ruffled his hair in a mess. his sweat trickled down his nape and he fished for the handkerchief he took from felix's drawer. 

“there was really nothing you can do man,” jisung says while seungmin dried himself. “parents are sometimes a pain in the ass.”

“yeah.”

“anyway, have some bubblegum,” jisung offered and seungmin surprisingly saw, not the familiar swirl of blue and pink ice cream— the flavor is currently a hit, but an actual pack of gum.

“where did you get these?” seungmin asked as he took a piece from the container and popped the gum in his mouth.

“minho-hyung,” jisung answered and seungmin tried his best not to roll his eyes. he knew damn well jisung won’t shut up how amazing minho-hyung was as a boyfriend and in bed. 

he gets it, being in a relationship was the best thing in the world, and in some days, being single sucked big time.

* * *

the thing about any retail shops, especially in the food industry, was the interesting people seungmin encountered on a daily basis. on weekdays, an old couple would order one scoop of their signature cheesecake flavor. they would sit by the glass window, they would start talking, and simply enjoy the warmth the sun has to offer. on other days, he was greeting a punk rock band with his most cheerful smile and they would reply in a very somber tone but then again, they buy the sweetest flavors and make a ruckus when they finally sit down and gobble up their treats. sometimes, he was faced with idols who were definitely wearing a disguise. one could instantly tell with the unnecessary clothing and distressed manager tagging along.

there were also days, just like a saturday, when a guy— black swept hair, wearing a white baggy shirt, a flannel around his waist, ripped jeans, black converse, and a charming smile— entered the store and there were also days when seungmin almost stuttered when he greeted the new customer. definitely a _new, new _customer because how can seungmin forget such a beautiful stranger? the man, who was for sure within in his age range, smiled back in response and seungmin swore his legs just buckled.

jisung noticed seungmin’s inner turmoil and approached him after handling a different, less interesting customer. around this time minho has already left the premises and in some way, jisung was finally out of his lovesickness.

“he’s cute,” jisung whispered while seungmin was scooping two large— _yes, he was going large_ _with this one,_ of salted caramel ice cream. he also made sure jisung got the hint: seungmin had his eyes on him first and jisung was already fucking lee minho by giving him the most threatening glare he could muster.

“i know,” seungmin responded. he proceeded to go where Beautiful Stranger ™ was sitting and seungmin gleefully sets his order down. Beautiful Stranger ™ replied with a soft 'thank you' while he distractingly scrolled through his phone. seungmin was slightly disappointed since he wanted to see him smile once more but who was he to judge. they were literal strangers.

seungmin went back to his post and he was once again bombarded by customers. a whole freaking football team entered the ice cream parlor and the mixture of sweat and dirt wafted the airconditioned room. the boys all started to pile up against the counter, excessively repeating the orders they wanted while seungmin and jisung were left defenseless with nothing but their scoopers and their paychecks in their minds.

it took about thirty minutes for seungmin to realize that Beautiful Stranger ™ has already left and that he may never know his number or even his name. he sighed dejectedly and continued his everyday agenda: serving ice cream on a hot summer day.

* * *

after jongin surprisingly trips, thanks to yet another kid being the little devils they were, the floor has been stained by pistachio flavored ice cream. seungmin was now sadly mopping it. he sighed in disbelief and saw the kid's tear-stained cheeks. he almost stuck his tongue out but thought otherwise once the mother whipped her head towards seungmin's direction. he tried to play it cool while whistling to a random song he heard on the radio during his break.

out of nowhere, the familiar chime of the door's bell rang throughout the store. seungmin frowned for a split second, he has gotten so used to the everyday life in the shop that he wouldn't bat an eye when it comes to the bell's chime, but now? it felt different.

seungmin lifted his head to check who their new customer was and a gasp almost escaped his lips. between seungmin and the door were a sea of customers but he did not miss the black shaggy hair and those beautiful eyes. unexpectedly, Beautiful Stranger ™ returned. seungmin watched him from the corner of the shop (he already finished his mopping duties and was returning the tools). he took a big gulp before rushing to the counter. no way in hell was he letting jisung or jongin entertain Beautiful Stranger ™. before his shift ended he needed to get his goddamn number or even his name was enough. he just wanted an interaction worth remembering.

jongin was scooping vanilla-flavored ice cream when Beautiful Stranger ™ opened his mouth, seungmin swooped in with a perfectly practiced smile. the type of smile that he knew makes him look extra adorable and dandy. the smile that would hopefully catch Beautiful Stranger ™'s attention.

"what is it sir?" he asked, his voice a pitch higher than usual. jongin heard him and he tried to stifle a laugh, but this was jongin we're talking about so it was obvious he found it funny. seungmin's cheeks slowly turned pink. he gulps nervously before Beautiful Stranger ™ decided to answer, "uhm, i don't know if you recall but i was here a while ago—"

_oh, i know._ seungmin thought quietly to himself. his smile still perfectly intact.

"and i lost my black hat," Beautiful Stranger ™ continued and seungmin might have lost it the moment Beautiful Stranger ™ started speaking about losing an object. all of his words started flying out of his head and seungmin just kept nodding. he was too busy staring at the beauty mark under Beautiful Stranger ™'s eye. it took seungmin a few seconds to realize that Beautiful Stranger ™ was waiting for him to reply.

"i'm sorry your what?" seungmin stuttered. his perfect smile gone. Beautiful Stranger ™ chuckles and seungmin swore he will do anything for those stupid dimples.

"my black hat— this one," Beautiful Stranger ™ shown him a picture. the hat looked like something a kpop idol would wear on a music video and seungmin was not surprised Beautiful Stranger ™ owned one. he was adonis himself leaving amongst the unworthy sea of young adults and seungmin was one of those people who praise his name.

"why don't we look for it together sir?" seungmin suggested. 

Beautiful Stranger ™ smiled gleefully and scratched the back of his head, "you'd help me? are you sure i'm not bothering you?" 

"oh no, no it's fine," seungmin smiled back. jisung saw him from his side of the counter and sends him a suggestive wink while seungmin responsed by sticking his tongue out, making jisung laugh.

* * *

in all honesty, seungmin thought the search was going to be easy, but nope, it has proven itself to be a challenge. they've been looking everywhere and to no avail, the stupid hat just disappeared like magic. Beautiful Stranger ™ sighed beside him after thirty minutes of searching the whole shop. seungmin couldn't blame him, the shop was packed once again. the sun was still high and the heat outside was no joke. the shop iwasringing with endless orders and the seats were always occupied by strangers. it was a never-ending cycle and a small voice in the back of seungmin head was thankful for Beautiful Stranger ™'s loss.

"i'm sorry i took some time away from your work," Beautiful Stranger ™ took a quick glance on his nametag, "seungmin."

seungmin almost tripped over thin air. he was ready to lose his dignity and ask Beautiful Stranger ™ out on a date but he saw chan-hyung from the corner of his eyes. chan-hyung was gesturing towards his watch. seungmin knew what it meant: he had an hour left before the shop closes and the night shifter arrives. 

"it's alright. my shift's about to end anyway. i'm the one who should be sorry. i couldn't help you sir," seungmin replied.

"hyunjin," Beautiful Stranger ™ said. seungmin unconsciously cocked his head to the left curiously.

"hyunjin?"

"just call me hyunjin. sir sounds so weird. if we're going to be hunting partners might as well tell you my name" Beautiful Stranger ™— hyunjin rather, requested. 

_hyunjin_. 

seungmin's mind goes haywire, _hyunjin, hyunjin, hyunjin. what a pretty name for a pretty human being._

"—it's fine if you don't find it, hey seungmin-ssi are you still with me?"

"shit, i'm sorry the heat is taking a toll on me," seungmin lied. hyunjin looked at him sincerely, "are you sure you're alright?"

"i'm feeling dandy don't worry."

hyunjin gave him an unsure look but continued, "i said it's fine if you don't find but if you do it would be really great—"

this is it. if this was a cliche romance movie, hyunjin would give him phone number and then he can finally make a move—

out of nowhere an incessant sound rang. hyunjin apologized briefly before taking his phone out of his jeans. 

"hello? what, no i did not. i know, i'm sorry" seungmin heard hyunjin speak. his voice sounded softer and sweeter as if he was talking to a lover. seungmin was not surprised if hyunjin had a lover, come on he was a literal god. but seungmin admitted to himself that it kinda stings. even if they have only met and were in a customer-clerk status, he still found hyunjin cute and would not mind tapping his ass. 

seungmin standed awkwardly between the wall, a few feet away from the counter, and hyunjin. he and jisung met eyes and seungmin frowned. jisung cocked an eyebrow in question. before seungmin could excuse himself hyunjin placed his hand against his phone's microphone. 

"i am really thankful seungmin-ssi for your help. i gotta go!" and just like that hyunjin, his Beautiful Stranger ™ evaporates away. seungmin was left there, gapping at what just happened.

well, at least he got his name.

* * *

seungmin had less than an hour left before his shift ends. he was once again back in his usual state: in front of the counter trying not to curse his customers away, his practiced smile on his face, but his feelings were all over the place. jisung has already left and an older guy, woojin-hyung replaced him. he gave seungmin a worried look which seungmin dismissed with a soft smile, "i'm fine, just tired from today's shift."

"if you say so kid."

seungmin does not know how fate or chances work but for some reason, for the first time in his life, the planets aligned. he was about to leave the counter and end his shift when his eyes saw a familiar-looking black hat on the floor, at the far corner. he almost screamed in delight.

he jumped over the counter— thankfully there were no customers in line and sprinted towards the hat. woojin almost screamed in surprised and he doesn't care if chan-hyung, who definitely almost threw the boxes he was carrying, deduct his weekly wages— he had to get to the stupid hat no matter what.

when the smooth velvety texture of the hat was finally in his hands, seungmin walked back to the employee's lounge and did a tiny happy dance.

_what a day._

* * *

jisung just finished face-timing minho when he receives an array of messages from felix. his friend who was in australia for the summer break was in a state of panic and confusion. jisung was not sure what caused his friend, who was a million miles away, to be so aggressive. 

_ausfelix: check seungmin's instagram story! that motherfucker!"_

_hanjisus: why?_

_ausfelix: fucking look at it_

reluctantly, jisung exits the texting app and advances to his own instagram account. surprisingly, seungmin's face is the first circle he sees. he taps his best friend's picture and is greeted with the most extra instagram story ever:

_“GUYS YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED— So I just got back from work and today this cute guy, this Beautiful Stranger ™ human, person— okay, he was beautiful! back to the point, he was tall and very pretty. he came in the shop for ice cream duh but he came back a second time and started asking us if we saw his black hat. believe me, i dropped everything i was doing just so i can help him. anyway, so we were searching and searching but we couldn’t really find it. mind you, it was also a busy day— you know, so he left. but like ten minutes later when the horrible children finally left, there i see it in all its beautiful glory: a black cap. it was sitting one of the tables. i instantly jumped over the counter and took it. so, to anyone who knows a guy who has black wavy hair, his eyes were dark chestnut brown, he has a very very cute smile, and a tiny charming mole under his eyes, then please tell him we need to meet up because i need to return this– i actually have it here with me. so, i need to return it to him so we need to meet and i don’t know fall in love. okay, thank you. bye!”_

**Author's Note:**

> midterms in uni save me.
> 
> twt: @dandyseungjin


End file.
